Combination carrying case and stand for trumpet

ABSTRACT

An improved carrying case and stand for a belled music instrument is provided by securing an attachment member to the lid of the case to which a studlike stand may be selectively secured to convert the case into a very stable base for the stand. A duplicate attachment on the opposite side of the lid provides for storage of the studlike stand within the case.

United States Patent Friedman [451 Jan. 25, 1972 [54] COMBINATION CARRYING CASE AND 270,640 1/1883 Cundy ..206/13 S A FOR TRUMPET 1,888,927 11/1932 Lang.....

1,900,718 3/1933 Lang ..206/13 [72] Inventor: Perry L. Friedman, 307 Springfield, Park Forest, Ill. 60466 Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman [22] Filed 1970 Attorney-Norman Lettvin [21] Appl. No.: 5,518

[57] ABSTRACT [52] [1.8. CI ..206/13, 84/453, 190/60, An improved carrying case and stand for a belled music instru- 248/46] ment is provided by securing an attachment member to the lid [51] Int. Cl ..A45c 11/00 of the case to which a studlike stand may be selectively [58] Field of Search ..84/387, 400, 4513;206/13; secured to convert the case into a very stable base for the 190/60; 248/171, 46] stand. A duplicate attachment on the opposite side of the lid provides for storage of the studlike stand within the case. [56] References Cited 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures UNlTED STATES PATENTS 8/1965 Sumrall, Jr ..84/453 PATENTED JANZS I972 Jh/enzfor:

Perry L Friedman COMBINATION CARRYING CASE AND STAND FOR TRUMPET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a combination carrying case-andstand for a belled music instrument, such as a trumpet, comet, or clarinet.

Stands for a belled music instrument such as a trumpet have heretofore been known. Such a stand should desirably be of relatively small size to provide ease and convenience of handling. However, this size requirement has heretofore dictated providing a base for the stand that is so small as to fail to effect a stable mounting for the instrument, or when the base is of a folding-leg construction, the stand appears rickety and makeshift, constitutes an additional package to carry, and still fails to insure stability because of the elevated center-of-gravity of the upright instrument.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved stand for a belled music instrument, the stand being in the form of a combination carrying case and removable stud that is adapted for entry into the bell of the instrument when used as a stand and readily stored in the carrying case when not in use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combination carrying case and stand for a belled music instrument that provides great stability as a stand for the music instrument, and which is characterized by inexpensiveness and effectiveness of construction, simplicity in use and in storage for nonuse, and which is economically adaptable to existing cases.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointedout with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the instant invention the lid of the instrument case is modified to provide a ready means of attachment and disconnection of a stand member for the belled instrument, so that the case itself serves as a large and very stable base for the instrument when mounted on the stand. Desirably the stand is of a limited length so that it may be similarly readily connected to the underside of the lid of the case for storage within the case when not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of a typical instrument-carrying case whose lid has been modified to provide for the invention herein disclosed;

FIG. 2 is a view of the case of FIG. 1 with the lid opened showing storage of the instruments and of studlike stands within the case;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. I but showing use of the studlike stand with an instrument positioned on the stand;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, partially in cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, cross-sectional view through structure constituting one form of the lid modification which permits use of the studlike stand;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing a modified form of the lid modification; and

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating still another modified fonn of connection of the stand to a modified case lid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing, a typical rectangular carrying case for multiple trumpets, T, is indicated at 10 and includes a deep-hallowed, storage-base section 12 to which is hinged a shallower-hollowed, lid 14 that includes top side 16 of the case. The base section 12 is provided with a plurality of transverse partitions 12a for partially defining chambers in which each instrument is stored, as shown. The partitions 12a at least partially define a storage space 12b that extends to the case's flat bottom side that is parallel to top side 16 when the case is closed.

The case 10 of FIGS. 1-3 has been modified by having at least one relatively flat attachment member 20 rigidly secured to the outer surface of top side 16. The attachment member 20 is secured to top side 16 spaced inwardly of the peripheral edges of the case. The attachment member provides releasable attachment means thereon. In the specific forms shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the attachment means are a few screw threads 2I, enough to provide for a rigid connection to a threaded stud but not so many as to make the attachment member 20 too thick. An alternative attachment means could be provided by diametric bayonet-type openings and adjacent cams defined on the underside of the member 20 for pressurelocking cooperation with opposite tabs on the end of a stud member.

To complete the stand for the instrument there is provided an elongated, studlike, stand member 22 consisting of a rod, or pipe, portion 24 and a frustoconical, bell-engaging, portion 26. The lower terminus of rod portion 24 is squared off and is threaded at 24a for cooperation with threads 21. The squared off terminus of rod 24 provides for a flat abutment against top side 16, so that engagement of only a few screw threads is nevertheless effective to provide a releasable but secure mounting that positions the stand 22 substantially perpendicular to top side 16.

The bell-engaging portion 26 tapers along its length toward the upper end of stand member 22 and is selected of a size and shape to properly cooperate with an instruments bell, B, so that when in use the terminus of the be" H is spaced above topside 16 as seen in FIG. 4. The stand portion 26 is preferably of a readily formable material. To reduce marring contact with the instruments bell, B, a pair of spaced, annular, friction-abutment rings 26a and 2612 are provided of a soft material such as cork, rubber, or the like, to fit securely within bell B and frictionally, but releasably, retain the instrument when positioned thereon.

In the form of attachment shown in FIG. 6, the flat attachment member 20' is readily secured to top side 16 by bolt and nut means 30, the nuts being located within the case and the bolt heads being countersunk to provide a neat construc-' tion. In the preferred form of FIG. 5, a second attachment member 32 is provided on the inner surface of top side 16. Member 32 is threaded at 33 so as to be a duplicate of member 20. Both members are preferably secured by a pair of common cold-headed through pins 34, thus providing that the members 20 and 32 reinforce each other. Alternatively the member 32 could be mounted on the bottom side of case section 12.

The axial length of studlike member 22 is selected to be less than the minimum distance between the inner surfaces of top and bottom sides of case 10. When stand member 22 is not in use it may be detachably and securely connected to member 32. The position of member 32 is selected so that stand member enters space 12b when the case 10 is closed.

When the case 10 is laid on its bottom side as seen in FIGS. 1-3, it provides an extremely stable base for the relatively heavy, upright, instrument as seen in FIG. 3. The musician may quickly and easily detach the stand member 22 from one mounting 32 or 20 for attachment to the other. When stand 22 is packed away, all that projects from the case is the flat attachment member 20 as seen in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates, in an exploded, fragmentary, perspective view, an alternate construction that embodies the principles heretofore disclosed. The rod 24' of a stand is provided with outwardly extending diametrical attachment lugs 25- Theattachment plate 40 is appropriately apertured at 42 for attachment to a cases top side. The plate has a central bore 44 of substantially the same diameter size as rod 24', and a pair of diametric notches 46 are provided to accommodate the attachment lugs 25. Cam surfaces 48 are provided on the underside of plate 40 adjacent notches 46 to provide for quick connection, or disconnection, of the stand upon a quarter turn of rod 24', in a mechanical connection that is well known.

Another generally similar, but not equivalent alternative, connection could be provided by providing an aperture through side 16, and providing a shoulder on rod 24 of greater size than the aperture spaced from the rod's terminus so that a reduced stud would project through the aperture. Then by using a nut-type member located adjacent the opposite surface of side 16, the nut-member and shouldered rod could be releasably secured selectively against either surface of side 16 by clamping against opposite surfaces of the side. This latter alternative construction is not as desirable as the preferred forms disclosed which permanently secure the flat attachment member in position, thus preventing loss of parts and permitting of rapid one-handed connection and disconnection, thereby avoiding the delay and inconvenience that accompanies two-handed threading together operations.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A combination case-and-stand for a belled musical instrument such as a trumpet comprising, in combination: a hollow carrying case for the instrument defining a pair of spaced sides, one of which is adapted to be laid on a support surface such as a floor, at least one relatively flat attachment member having releasable attachment means defined therein and rigidly secured to the outer surface of the other of the spaced sides substantially inwardly of the edges of said side, an elongated, studlike, stand member providing at one end thereof an enlarged portion, shaped to cooperate with the musical instrument's bell to releasably engage same securely, and providing at the other end second attachment means for effecting a releasable connection with the attachment member which maintains the stand member at an attitude substantially perpendicular to the said other side of the carrying case, thus providing that the carrying case serves as a stable base for the stand member and musical instrument supported thereon, the effective length of the studlike stand member being less than the distance between the inner surfaces of a pair of spaced sides of the carrying case, and an inner attachment member provided on the inner surface of one of the said two sides for detachably securing the stand member thereto for secure storage of the stand member when not in use.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the releasable attachment means on the attachment member and the second attachment means on the stand member are preshaped to interengage and provide a rigid connection therebetween.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein the attachment member and the inner attachment member are secured on opposite faces of the same side of the carrying case with common securing elements fastening such attachment members to the side of the carrying case. 

1. A combination case-and-stand for a belled musical instrument such as a trumpet comprising, in combination: a hollow carrying case for the instrument defining a pair of spaced sides, one of which is adapted to be laid on a support surface such as a floor, at least one relatively flat attachment member having releasable attachment means defined therein and rigidly secured to the outer surface of the other of the spaced sides substantially inwardly of the edges of said side, an elongated, studlike, stand member providing at one end thereof an enlarged portion, shaped to cooperate with the musical instrument''s bell to releasably engage same securely, and providing at the other end second attachment means for effecting a releasable connection with the attachment member which maintains the stand member at an attitude substantially perpendicular to the said other side of the carrying case, thus providing that the carrying case serves as a stable base for the stand member and musical instrument supported thereon, the effective length of the studlike stand member being less than the distance between the inner surfaces of a pair of spaced sides of the carrying case, and an inner attachment member provided on the inner surface of one of the said two sides for detachably securing the stand member thereto for secure storage of the stand member when not in use.
 2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the releasable attachment means on the attachment member and the second attachment means on the stand member are preshaped to interengage and provide a rigid connection therebetween.
 3. A device as in claim 1 wherein the attachment member and tHe inner attachment member are secured on opposite faces of the same side of the carrying case with common securing elements fastening such attachment members to the side of the carrying case. 